Cover crops are used to keep the soil healthy and productive. They are planted in the fall and shredded in the spring before the hay grows and is cut. In 2015/2016 we used seven seeds in coordination with the local National Resources Conservation Service office:
- hard red winter wheat (OG)
- Austrian winter peas (OG)
- hairy vetch (OG)
- dwarf Essex rapeseed (OG)
- jerry oats (OG)
- crimson clover (OG)
- red clover (OG).
The cover crop production was so strong in 2016 that we had to shred twice. Here are pictures of the cover crop of spring 2016:
Shredding the cover crop in April 2017. I started by cutting it, since Kim wanted the cover crop bailed for her sheep, but the crop was so abundant that it was getting stuck between the cutter and the tractor. I gave up on cutting and switched to shredding.
In Fall 2018 and 2019 we used a different mix of seeds: Tamo 411 Oats, Triticale, Biomaster Peas, Frost master Peas, Bell Beans and Rapeseed. We inoculated them on site and no-till drilled them same day.
In Fall 2020 we used the following mix of seeds: Tamo 411 Oats, Triticale, Biomaster Peas, Bell Beans and Rapeseed. We inoculated them on site and no-till drilled them same day.
In Fall 2021 we used the following mix of seeds: Tamo 411 Oats, Triticale, Biomaster Peas, Frost master Peas. We inoculated them on site and no-till drilled them same day.
